Danse Macabre
by PatsyGirl
Summary: You can deny Heaven and Hell / You can laugh at prayers and spells / Curse every Angel, blame Devils and Gods / But if you were born, someday you'll be gone / What will await you when you turn into corpse? / No one ever promised that it won't get worse / Cherish your senses, cherish every breath / And join me on the dancefloor between Life and Death. / CAPTAIN SWAN AU.
1. Prologue: Falling Slowly

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Once Upon a Time.**

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I sat in the hospital room, right on the edge of the bed, with my eyes locked somewhere in space. Next to me appeared and disappeared, one after another, white shapes. Swift and graceful beings. _Are they Angels, coming for those, who didn't win with a Death? _- I wondered, quickly trying to find all the right names in the memories of my human life. No, those were doctors and nurses. It felt like they saw me. They were looking at me, almost _staring_, with fear, hatred and pity in their tired eyes. In this existence, I saw millions glances like these. I could hardly blame them, for I was looking at myself _exactly_ like this.

On that day, I came down to Earth being a lot calmer than I usually was. I had no habit of talking to my conscience. Just take another ordinary soul with me, return and forget. And repeat. _Every single day_. A routine as simple as washing my hair _way back when_. Yet, I couldn't recall myself washing my hair several times in one day. Once in a while, I had to come back down at night, free falling through clouds, passing by stars and _the others_. Those... _like me_. They greeted me, waving their pale hands in my direction, covered in black silk. This time there was an awful lot of us.

We landed silently on the ground, like a light summer rain, although a summer rain is usually more welcome and awaited than us. My feet lead me towards a black contraption. A car. The front window was obviously smashed to tiny pieces. There was a man inside, unconscious, with his head against the driving wheel. An ordinary man, like those I'd been taking with me for quite some time now. His face, stained with blood, looked peaceful and innocent. I reached my hand to open the door, when she got in my way. She embraced the man with her wide, snow-white wings and smiled at me.

_- Emma, do me a favour and leave this one be. It's not his turn yet. _

_- You do know that I must take him. It's not up to me. _

A moment passed. It was starting to get crowded around us, with paramedics, policemen and random people. I looked at her face - so loving, so caring, so merciful. Much like the Lord she is working for. She was determined.

Even_ if _I was to let him stay, just this one time, I would have to come back for him sooner or later. If not me, then someone else. The paramedics tried to get the man out of the car and I looked the Angel in the eyes. Second thoughts started creeping in when I saw her looking at me with gratitude and - what a surprise - pity. She was probably sorry that she had not been there for _me_ when _I_ needed a Guardian, but how would I know? Reading minds was one of the gifts that did not come like a company car, uniform or speaking every language known to men. Not that I ever needed to understand what my victims were saying. Sometimes I wish _I didn't_.

I stepped aside. I don't know if it was a voice from Heaven or Hell, which told me to stay on Earth and follow the ambulance. It doesn't matter now. I stayed, making the most beautiful mistake a Death could ever make.

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**Whale hello there! I hope you enjoyed the prologue to my first multi-chapter Captain Swan fanfiction. The idea for this AU haunted me for quite a while now, and by "quite a while" I mean 5 years, thought at that time the characters were all mine and not from OUAT universe. I decided to bury it out and adapt it to my shipper needs. As for updates and such, I'm going to be honest: I won't be able to publish my updates on a regular basis (real life and stuff... mostly stuff...). 28 days until season 3!**


	2. Chapter 1: Sad, Beautiful, Tragic

**Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time.**

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Tick tock, tick tock. An ordinary clock and the sound of the hospital equipment created a song urging me to go, leave this place. One hour had passed and I did not move. I looked around the room, examining everything but the body I was sitting next to: walls, medical equipment, view from the hospital window. A small park nearby, crowded with children, their parents, elderly couples and younger couples enjoying the weather. It was probably August, the sun crept into the hospital room. I'd been to thousands of hospitals, but this one in Boston was unfamiliar to me.

I should go back a long time ago, change into another black gown and do what I was supposed to do. All of my chores revolve around working for the Lord and the Lucifer. Their expectations are pretty high, but intentions could not be more different.

Lord's orders require me to visit sick or elderly people. They usually expect me. They don't see me, but they _feel_ my presence. They even talk to me - some tell me to go away and give me quite an earful. But some welcome me like a long awaited guest.

Lucifer likes... divercity. His orders are unpredictable like weather and I usually find myself at parties, brothels, bridges, highways and one-way streets. Places, where I shouldn't be and my actions are pointless. These are the places where Lucifer is most eager to send me to. Nothing makes him happier than taking a life in bloom. He was the one who sent me to Boston on that day. An ordinary accident - not a fancy work place, but who was I to argue? I got up of the bed to take a look at the patient's card.

- _Killian Jones_.

I'd never known any Killian. Not in my human life. I'd never taken a Killian's life. The name sounded nice, actually. As far as I could remember, it meant "church" in... Gaelic? Latin? Greek? It's been ten years since I acquired the ability to speak every language, but identifying them was still a struggle for me. Not to mention that I could understand even animals and plants - talk about useless talents. Still, it was kind of peculiar to understand what humans thought about us. I'd been called many names, but 'The Grim Reaper' stuck with me for some reason. Probably because I loved Grimms' fairytales when I was still... alive.

The truth is that we do not look like a walking sack of bones and we most certainly do not carry scythes around - that would be very impractical. Not that we would hurt ourselves with it, but we wouldn't be using them to hurt anyone. Why carry something like this, if all you need is just one touch?

We look like humans we used to be, at least for a while. One would mistaken us for a group of mourners or classy goths. Some of us prefer the Asian style and wear white clothes. Me? I prefer black and simple - no need to add any more dramatics to my current situation.

Killian Jones. What Killian Jones could have done that made the Lucifer send me for him and then leave me empty-handed? I'd never been interrupted in my job.

I sat back on his bed when a woman ran into the room - a tall lady, black curly hair, big green eyes. Quite beautiful. She knelt beside the bed and started sobbing. Was that Mrs. Jones? She did not have a wedding ring on her finger, but there _was_ a ring. A ring with a little diamond that reflected the daylight, changing colours with every movement of her hand. It was obvious that Killian Jones was engaged.

I dared to look at his face. His handsome features were illuminated by the daylight. If it wasn't for the engagement ring of the woman and her constant repeating of _"my love, my love"_, I would have taken him for her brother - black hair, long dark lashes. He did not look fond of shaving but the stubble made him look even more handsome. His face was bruised and wounded, but there was one scar on his right cheek, which must have been there much longer than the scars from the accident. I almost felt an urge to carress it but I knew I couldn't. I mean, I _could_ and I _should_, but I stepped back and stepping back was an unspoken promise _not to touch him. _

_ "My love, my love" - _the words fell from her lips time and time again. I was invading their privacy but I couldn't force myself to leave. I just stood there, looking at her and trying to recall, if there had ever been someone in my... life, who had been worth as many tears as the woman shed for Killian. There _was_ someo-

_- I did not expect to see _you_ here. _

That Angel again. Busted.

_- Yeah, I decided to stick around just a little while longer._

_- And why so?_

_- I was just... curious. Curious, why didn't you let me take him. _

_- Aw, that. Well, I'm his Guardian._

_- That I figured._

She smiled at me and then glanced down at my hands.

_- Wait, you weren't about to touch him now, were you?_ - she said angrily.

_- What? No, no! No, I wasn't. I just... Nevermind. I stepped back, remember? I shouldn't, but I did. And I bet, He won't be pleased._

_- Huh, someone gets another chance to live happily ever after. Of course, He won't be pleased. That's why I wanted to thank you for... letting him stay._

_- No need to thank me. One live here or there, it doesn't make much difference to me._

_- But it does. To _her. - the Angel pointed at the woman holding Killian's hand.

_- So you know her?_ - I asked without any particular reason. The Angel sighed.

_- Yes. They got engaged six months ago and are gonna get married next year. July-wedding. She's a waitress._

_- And him?_

_- He's a sailor. _

_- A sailor? I bet he keeps you busy then. _

_- You have no idea. - _a light-hearted smile appeared on her face. -_But I made a promise to his mother and I intend to keep it._

_- Oh. Understood. And what does your Boss think about it?_

_- The Lord has so much to do these days. I wouldn't bother him with one man's life, you know. But I know what you're thinking.. 'You silly Guardians, growing attached to humans'. - _for a second there, she looked slightly embarrassed, as if her actions were, indeed, something to be ashamed of.

_- No, don't say that. I was a human... once. - _A long time ago. One decade, to be precise. Only few of us probably keep track. Who wants to be aware of the time that passed since your decease?

_- And I'm sure your Guardian was as attached to you as I am to Killian._

_- Would I be who I am today, if I had one?_ - I replied laughing. I could see a trace of guilt on the Angel's face. _- I think I should go back now, so... see you around._

_- Are you gonna be seeing me around?_

_- No, not really._

I could walk right through her, but it would be rude of me. Talking to Angels always made me feel uncomfortable. Innocent beings who looked down on us. It's so easy to judge if you never had a chance to acutally live a human life. Then again, the choice was never really theirs, so blaming anything on them was out of place.

I looked at her, then I looked at the woman and at Killian. Lucky guy - he had a lover and a Guardian Angel taking care of him. Enough blessings to count on one hand and enough hands to catch you when you fall.

The hospital was still in chaos. I had no idea how many lives were taken in the accident. Wandering through the halls, I overheard something that cought my attention.

_- His parents didn't make it. _

_- And what about him?_

_- He got lucky, but he'll have to stay here for a while._

_- And he really doesn't have anyone to take care of him?_

_- He was adopted. Those were his adoptive parents. We tried to contact their families. It turned out that the father... Graham Humbert? He was an orphan, no family to contact. And the mother... Ruby Humbert, her only family was a grandmother. Sadly, she can't take care of the boy. _

_- How old is he?_

_- Ten._

_- I'm afraid it's gonna be hard to find a family for him. Most families look for newborns and he's... he's too old. What's his name?_

_- Henry. Henry Humbert._

If I still had a beating heart, it would skip a beat, probably more than just one. I walked into the room, where the nurse and the woman - probably from the foster care - were talking. There he was. Bruised and battered, much like Killian. His body looked weak, he struggled to breath on his own. Left hand broken. Ribs broken. If I could die once more, I would die right there. Die from the pain I wasn't even supposed to feel. It appeared, emptiness could hurt much more than human flesh.

There he was. My precious baby boy.

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**Hi everyone! First of all, thank you for reading this and for following this story. I just want to let you know that even if you have a lot of questions and you don't understand everything yet, later chapters will explain everything (plotholes are something that keep me up at night, so I'll do what I can to avoid them in my story). Thank you once again! Reviews are very appreciated!**


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